The Daily Texan sat down with senior thrower Jacob Thormaehlen to discuss his leadership role, his time at Texas, his throwing mechanics and the legacy he wants to leave at Texas.
The Daily Texan: What has it been like to be the ‘patriarch’ of the throwing group?
Jacob Thormaehlen: I’ve always been told from my dad that if I work hard, everything will fall into place. I try to teach the guys that no matter how their performances are going, if they work at it, over time they will see improvement. There’s a saying I always refer to: ‘Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.’ The rest of the team sees how I treat my guys, as well. I push them and talk smack to them when I know they can do better.
DT: How has working with this group affected your overall experience and/or throwing career?
Thormaehlen: I wouldn’t change it for anything. The best part of my college career has been being a part of this group of guys, where we can feed off each other and make each other better. I can really attribute most of my success to them and to my teammates.
DT: What is the one aspect of your performance that you feel has been a struggle to maintain throughout the season?
Thormaehlen: I’ve always been an emotional guy and I’m finally getting to the point to where I can keep my emotional levels balanced with my intensity. My technique is good, but I need to work on the patience and not rush things when I’m in a good place during a competition.
DT: What are some small, technical improvements you are looking to make in preparation for this weekend’s Longhorn Invitational?
Thormaehlen: I want to throw over 20 meters [in shot put], and keep that consistent the rest of the season. Also, finding a way to be more patient will definitely be the key for me.
DT: How have your coaches helped you keep your intensity and motivation on the upside during your performances this year?
Thormaehlen: The one thing that I really like about [assistant head coach Mario Sategna] is that he has the same mentality as me — the hard work thing. He is never satisfied, just like me. At nationals when I [set a peronal record] and set a school record and got second, he told me, ‘It was good, but there’s a couple of things you could’ve done better and we’ll work on that.’
[Head coach Bubba Thornton] is all motivation. He is always happy and good to go. One of the main things he always says when you ask how his days is going is, ‘It’s just another day in paradise.’ It’s a good thing to have him in the background during a competition, because you know he’s hoping you do well, but there’s not so much pressure.
DT: What legacy do you hope to leave behind for the guys who will one day step up to lead the throwers?
Thormaehlen: If I had a bumper sticker it would be, ‘The Only Thing You’re Entitled To Is Your Own Opinion.’ My reasoning behind it is that I know tons of people who would give anything to be in my shoes right now. I always tell my guys to make sure that they never take their time here for granted and that they have to work hard everyday and be humble. That’s the one thing I hope to leave behind, and I hope that they pass on — that we are not entitled to anything, but we must work hard for everything that we have.
